Zionism

[zahy-uh-niz-uhm]

noun

1. a worldwide Jewish movement that resulted in the establishment and development of the state of Israel and that now supports the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland.

Zionism

/ ˈzaɪəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. a political movement for the establishment and support of a national homeland for Jews in Palestine, now concerned chiefly with the development of the modern state of Israel

2. a policy or movement for Jews to return to Palestine from the Diaspora

Zionism

1. The belief that Jews (see also Jews) should have their own nation; Jewish nationalism. Zionism gained much support among Jews and others in the early twentieth century, and the hoped-for nation was established in the late 1940s in Palestine, as the state of Israel. Zionism is opposed by most Arabs. (See Arab-Israeli conflict.)

Other Word Forms

• Zionistic adjective
• Zionist noun
• Zionite noun
• anti-Zionism noun
• anti-Zionist noun
• non-Zionist noun
• pro-Zionism noun
• pro-Zionist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Zionism¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; Zion + -ism

Example Sentences

Elsewhere, Match of the Day host Gary Lineker left the BBC after sharing an Instagram reel about Zionism that featured an illustration of a rat, considered an antisemitic slur.

From BBC

An outspoken supporter of Israel who has decried a “demonization of Zionism” at the university, Pearl was the co-recipient of a $1.2-million National Science Foundation grant suspended in late July.

From Los Angeles Times

"This is Zionism at its best – building, settling and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel."

From BBC

He delivered a screed on the history of the Middle East, telling his attorney, “Zionism is more inimical to me than communism is to you.”

From Los Angeles Times

The CST said: "Both of these cases illustrate how sentiment and rhetoric towards Israel and Zionism influence, shape and drive contemporary anti-Jewish discourse, online and offline, often around totemic events that grab mainstream public attention."

From BBC